Effective temporary lighting is very important in situations where activities occur at night or in areas where, for various reasons, permanent lighting is not in place. A need exists for the temporary lighting to be easily and securely positioned and yet also easily detachable for removal after the lighting necessity passes. In many locations where temporary lighting is required an abundance of narrow elongate structures are available.
In a construction site environment, where work may be performed after dark or in poorly lit areas or in enclosed buildings, which block sunlight, a plurality of erect rectangular cross-section studs are frequently exposed. While some lighting devices exist which can be attached to the readily available studs and other elongate members, none of these devices exhibit the ready adjustability, connectability and disconnectability of the instant device. Another constant need in the construction environment and in other environments where permanent lighting is not available is for a standard electrical outlet providing standard power for running various electric appliances.
No devices known in the prior art provide both the necessary lighting along with providing an integral electric outlet. The device of this invention provides both lighting and an electrical outlet in a structure which is easily connectable and disconnectable from elongate members. Accordingly, a new and useful lighting device is provided.
The following prior art reflects the state of the art of which applicant is aware and is included herewith to discharge applicant's acknowledged duty to disclose relevant prior art. It is stipulated, however, that none of these references teach singly nor render obvious when considered in any conceivable combination the nexus of the instant invention as disclosed in greater detail hereinafter and as particularly claimed.
______________________________________ INVENTOR PATENT NO. ISSUE DATE ______________________________________ F. Beauront, Jr. 175,407 March 28, 1876 A. L. Stanford 730,580 June 9, 1903 D. C. Lamb 1,105,083 July 28, 1914 L. Fort 1,129,285 February 23, 1915 W. J. Myers 1,499,242 June 24, 1924 Johnston 3,746,294 July 17, 1973 Bourhenne Des. 229,821 January 8, 1974 Bourhenne 3,837,597 September 24, 1974 Hubbard 4,228,485 October 14, 1980 Johnson 5,063,274 November 5, 1991 ______________________________________
The patent to Beaumont teaches the use of a stilt for attaching a platform to an elongate member in a manner allowing the device to support a person or other object. The attachment means of Beaumont includes two opposing, parallel restraining plates conforming to and engaging opposite sides of an elongate member. A platform coupled to the plates extends horizontally away from the elongate member such that when force is applied downwardly on the support, the opposite restraining plates are forced into the elongate member, thereby supporting the entire device above ground. While the device of the instant invention uses a coincidentally similar force couple concept to attain attachment to an elongate member, it is distinguished over Beaumont, inter alia, in that it utilizes this basic concept of static physics in providing an adjustable portable lighting device.
The patents to Stanford, Bourhenne, Johnson and Myers also teach the use of the basic concept first disclosed in the Beaumont patent. The device of this application is distinguishable from all of these inventions in that it utilizes this concept in conjunction with a temporary lighting device and in such a manner to provide a readily adjustable and engagible device.
The patent to Lamb teaches the use of an electric light support which is connectable to an elongate member. The device of the instant application is distinguishable from Lamb, inter alia, in that it attaches to the elongate member with only two restricting plates instead of the three required by Lamb. The Lamb device requires three points of contact to the elongate member, and that a portion of the device be flexible to snap around the elongate member. This requires that the Lamb device be installed by a user having two, free hands to distort the two outer contact points vis-a-vis a central contact to straddle the elongate member. It is therefore also difficult to readjust the light. The device of the instant invention is easily attachable by comparison and is detachable and adjustable by a user with only one hand, thereby allowing the user to keep the other hand free for other tasks. Furthermore, the Lamb device fails to provide an electrical outlet device whereas the device of this application provides an electric outlet device for providing power to various tools in the location proximate to the lighted area.
The patents to Fort, Johnston and Hubbard teach lights which use some form of the basic attachment principle utilized by the invention of this application. However, in each of these prior art patents the concept of easy attachment and detachment is not addressed leaving these devices flawed by comparison and unable to effectively address the needs associated with the temporary lighting environment.